Galatians 3:1-9

Galatians 3:1-9
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's fun to watch my kids try and do things on their own.  Sometimes I sit back and admire their dedication, watching as they master some new skill or attempt again something that challenges them.  Other times... well, sometimes we're rushing out the door and I'm tying their shoes for the 300th time while not letting them practice because we're in a hurry.  I'm not perfect over here...
  As a culture, we have an inherent bias towards admiration of those who figure out how to do it on their own.  We love and admire those who build something from nothing -- we tell their stories over and over again. 
  As a faith, though, it's important to remember that it is Christ who has done the most important work.  The Galatians forgot this, and they focused on what they were doing.  As a church, it's vital that we remember that it is faith, and faith alone, that opens our eyes to what God is doing and calls us forward.  We are justified by faith, and just as Abraham believed, we, too believe.  We who have heard are transformed by the Spirit -- not by our own doing, but by God's.
  As someone who messes things up quite often, this is a relief, right?  It doesn't depend on me!  Hallelujah!